Best Startup Espresso Podcasts (2025)

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Challenge With Solo-Founder Startups 1:56

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14h ago1:56

1:56

The Challenge With Solo-Founder Startups Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many investors avoid investing in startups with a solo founder. Here are some reasons why: The company is at risk in case something happens to the founder. There’s no one there to pick up the …

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#21 From University Project to Startup Success: The Espresso Journey 47:10

16d ago47:10

47:10

Send us a text Join David McManus as he sits down with Scott, co-founder of Espresso, to explore the fascinating journey from a university project to a thriving startup. Discover how Scott and his team navigated the challenges of entrepreneurship, from prototyping and fundraising to scaling production amidst global disruptions. This episode is pack…

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Investor Connect 845: Innovating Healthcare: From Emergency Medicine to Health Tech with Uli Chettiapally of Sirica Therapeutics 23:32

2d ago23:32

23:32

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Uli Chettiapally, a distinguished physician, researcher, and healthcare innovator from Burlingame in the San Francisco Bay Area. Chettiapally shares his journey and expertise in driving physician-led innovation and collaboration through his firm, Innovator MD. He discusses how frontline medi…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Incentives for Investors 2:01

18h ago2:01

2:01

Incentives for Investors Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Closing the fundraiser can sometimes be a challenge. In down markets and uncertain economic conditions, investors hesitate to commit. Consider incentives for investors to move the fundraising to a close. Here…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Answer Questions You Don’t Know 2:00

16h ago2:00

2:00

How To Answer Questions You Don’t Know Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors ask many questions of startup founders. Founders should know their business and, in particular, their numbers. Sometimes an investor will ask a question that the founder doesn’t know. …

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Perform Technical Due Diligence 2:01

3h ago2:01

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How To Perform Technical Due Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors perform diligence on a startup before investing. Most of the diligence focuses on the financial aspects of the business. Technical diligence is just as important. For startups, it’s al…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Benefits of Family Office Funding 2:01

14h ago2:01

2:01

Benefits of Family Office Funding Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Family offices bring many benefits over other investor types as a funding source. Here’s a list of reasons why family offices should be considered for your fundraising: Family offices have deeper poc…

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Investor Connect 844: Navigating Legal Challenges for Startups: Insights from Abe Kwon of Lowenstein Sandler 28:17

4d ago28:17

28:17

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin welcomes Abe Kwon, a partner at Lowenstein Sandler, LLP, a renowned national law firm with a strong focus on emerging companies, venture capital funds, and investors. Abe Kwon shares his extensive experience as a startup venture capital lawyer and provides key insights into the critical legal conside…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Hone Your Deal Selection Process 2:01

1d ago2:01

2:01

How To Hone Your Deal Selection Process Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors funding startups go through a great number of deals to find the ones to fund. The investor won’t know for several months or years if the deal is going to work out or not. The startup’…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The KISS Note 1:59

5d ago1:59

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The KISS Note Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. KISS in the startup world stands for Keep It Simple Security. It’s similar to a convertible note. Here are the differences between a KISS and a convertible note: The KISS gives the holder the right to participate in fut…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Under Promise, Over Deliver 2:01

3h ago2:01

2:01

Under Promise, Over Deliver Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In fundraising, the startup founder should underpromise and overdeliver to the investor. Here are some key areas to apply this: Forecasting. Most founders overpromise and underdeliver on their sales foreca…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Use Framing in Your Pitch 1:56

2d ago1:56

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How To Use Framing in Your Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching investors, framing can be used to position the startup as a successful business. Framing is how you structure your message to shape how your audience perceives it. It can be used to genera…

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Labor Percentages for Our Coffee Shop – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 156 49:02

1d ago49:02

49:02

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep156 Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Time to spill the beans on our labor costs from the …

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Myths of Biotech Investing 2:08

8d ago2:08

2:08

The Myths of Biotech Investing Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Biotech investing differs from tech investing. There’s often no revenue traction to assess. The startup must navigate the FDA path while dealing with cutting-edge devices and therapeutics. Here are some…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Close a Strategic Investor 2:09

4d ago2:09

2:09

How To Close a Strategic Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Strategic investors are large companies that use startup investments to further their business objectives. They rarely invest to make a financial return. They fund startups to stay abreast of new tec…

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Investor Connect 843: Investing in Transformative Health Tech with Rachna Dayal of Sugati Ventures 24:24

4d ago24:24

24:24

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin speaks with Rachna Dayal, a global health biotech and venture investment expert, founder of Sugati Ventures. Rachna shares her transition from corporate roles at Johnson & Johnson and Philips to founding and running a venture fund focused on transformative health tech startups. She talks about the ma…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Tips on How To Follow Up 2:02

5d ago2:02

2:02

Tips on How To Follow Up Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, investor follow-up is the critical work of the campaign. Timeliness is a key factor. Each day that passes without the follow-up degrades the value of the interaction. Here are some tips on…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Best Practices in Raising a microVC Fund 2:06

6d ago2:06

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Best Practices in Raising a microVC Fund Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising a microVC fund, consider the following: It takes 12 to 18 months to raise an initial fund. Most funds start off in the $10M to $25M range. With a successful funding record, one can …

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Startup Funding Espresso – Investors Want To Know How the Business Will Be Successful 1:55

17d ago1:55

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Investors Want To Know How the Business Will Be Successful Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Most first-time startups pitch their product to the investor rather than their business. They often spend a great deal of time on how the product works. Investors want to kno…

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How We Made Our Coffee Shops Busier: Becoming a High Volume Cafe – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 155 55:36

20d ago55:36

55:36

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep155 Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Most coffee shops struggle to grow, but we share how…

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Startup Funding Espresso – What LPs Look for in First-Time Fundraisers 2:10

10d ago2:10

2:10

What LPs Look for in First-Time Fundraisers Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Limited Partners investing in venture capital funds are similar to startups raising funds from venture capitalists. In pitching LPs to invest in a fund, include the following: They need to …

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Investor Connect 842: Navigating the Funding Winter with Tien Wong of Opus8 18:52

10d ago18:52

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In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin sits down with Tien Wong, CEO and Chairman of Opus8, a private investment advisory firm focused on life sciences, health tech, and marketing tech. Tian shares his extensive experience in leading and funding high-growth technology ventures and discusses the evolution of the Connect Preneur networking …

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Perform Investor Diligence 2:12

11d ago2:12

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How To Perform Investor Diligence Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Startup founders raising funding should ask as many questions of the investor as the investor asks the founder. Here are some key points in the founders' diligence on a prospective investor: Before e…

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Startup Funding Espresso – The Cost of a Fundraise 2:12

12d ago2:12

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The Cost of a Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising will take time and money to complete. For the early stage, it’s primarily the time spent. Later-stage fundraising will cost money as well. Here are some key costs to consider when planning a fundra…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Trigger Words To Show a Value Proposition 2:00

20d ago2:00

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Trigger Words To Show a Value Proposition Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors look for the startup's value proposition to make an investment decision. In pitching, investors use these trigger words to show a value proposition: High growth. Note the growth rat…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Taking VC Funding Means Taking the VC’s Business Model 2:04

14d ago2:04

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Taking VC Funding Means Taking the VC’s Business Model Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In taking venture funding, the startup is also taking the VC's business model. The VC must provide the Limited Partners a venture-level return. It’s a high-risk, high-reward ende…

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Why We Love Starbucks – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 154 1:13:49

25d ago1:13:49

1:13:49

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep154 Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this week's episode, the boys take a little detou…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Show How Your Startup Is Scalable 2:04

17d ago2:04

2:04

Show How Your Startup Is Scalable Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Many startup fundraising pitches focus on the product. It’s important for the investor to know what the product is and its basic functionality. The investor is also interested in how the business wil…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Elements of a Seed Pitch Deck 1:58

28d ago1:58

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Key Elements of a Seed Pitch Deck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The goal of the pitch is to bring the investor up to speed on the deal in a short amount of time. Here are some key elements to consider when crafting your seed pitch deck: The core information an in…

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Investor Connect 841: From Scientist to Venture Capitalist: A Journey of Innovation with Alicia Castillo 21:04

18d ago21:04

21:04

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall Martin speaks with Alicia Castillo Holley, the founder and general partner of Wealthing VC Club. Alicia shares her intriguing journey from being a scientist concerned about the limited impact of her lab research to becoming an entrepreneur and eventually a venture capitalist. She discusses the inspiration b…

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Startup Funding Espresso – How To Make a Persuasive Pitch 2:11

19d ago2:11

2:11

How To Make a Persuasive Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The goal of the pitch is to persuade investors to support your startup. Here are some key techniques to make a more persuasive pitch: Identify what the audience seeks to do and play to that reward. Inve…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Personalizing Investor Email Outreach 2:15

1M ago2:15

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Personalizing Investor Email Outreach Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Email outreach is a key component of fundraising. It’s an efficient way to reach out to investors to notify them of your fundraiser as well as provide updates on your progress. In reaching out to…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Sharing Your Pitchdeck 2:07

1M ago2:07

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Sharing Your Pitchdeck Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The pitch deck is the initial document investors want to see. It’s important to have your pitch deck ready to go when engaging investors. In sharing your pitch deck, consider the following: You don’t have to se…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Signs an Investor Is Not Interested in Your Pitch 2:05

1M ago2:05

2:05

Signs an Investor Is Not Interested in Your Pitch Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In pitching for funding, look for signs of interest from the investor. Here’s a list of signs indicating the investor is not interested: The investor doesn’t ask probing questions but…

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Why Your Coffee Shop Line Backs Up (And What to Do About It) – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 153 13:22

1M ago13:22

13:22

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep153 Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Ethan and Ross answer the age old café question: Why…

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Investor Connect 840: Investing in Deep Tech and Human Capital with Vishal Arora 22:08

1M ago22:08

22:08

In this episode of Investor Connect, Hall T. Martin chats with Vishal Arora, a tech executive and managing partner at VDO capital. Vishal explains how VDO invests in early-stage deep tech startups with a unique approach that leverages a network of over 70 channel partners including incubators, accelerators, and universities to source deals. He high…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Common Mistakes in Fundraising 2:03

1M ago2:03

2:03

Common Mistakes in Fundraising Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Successful fundraising comes from preparation, focus, and experience. Here are some common mistakes founders make in fundraising: Not having a business plan. This should include what product or service …

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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Elements of a Successful Fundraise 2:10

1M ago2:10

2:10

Key Elements of a Successful Fundraise Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Fundraising takes time, effort, and attention. The startup founder faces many demands from the business, including hiring employees, building products, and signing customers. Here are the key el…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Duties of the CFO 2:03

1M ago2:03

2:03

Key Duties of the CFO Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The CFO plays a key role in the early stages of the startup. Here are the key duties of the CFO: The CFO develops and maintains the financial model for the business. This often comes out in the form of a financi…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Feedback From VCs 2:02

1M ago2:02

2:02

Feedback From VCs Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Investors hear many pitches and often give feedback to the startup. Some investors avoid giving feedback for the following reasons: Argumentative-- the founder argues their way out of the feedback. Instead of accept…

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# 20 SubJourney: Bridging Design and Technology 44:45

1M ago44:45

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Send us a text In this episode, Tom and David explore the journey of creating SubJourney, a groundbreaking user journey mapping tool. Tom shares his experiences from his early days at Deloitte Digital, where he learned the intricacies of large-scale project delivery, to founding SubJourney. The conversation delves into the challenges of early influ…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Negotiating Valuation With an Investor 2:14

1M ago2:14

2:14

Negotiating Valuation With an Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. The valuation is a negotiation, not a formula. Startup founders negotiating valuation should consider the following points: Know the current market rate for valuations for your stage and type of…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Founder Experience and Traction 2:01

1M ago2:01

2:01

Founder Experience and Traction Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, there are two key drivers to how much a startup can ask for funding. The first is traction. The greater the traction, the more the startup can ask in a fundraise. Traction includes …

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Investor Connect 839: Navigating Volatility - A Conversation with Stephen Diggle of Vulpes Investment Management 32:08

1M ago32:08

32:08

In this episode of Investor Connect, Paul Martin sits down with Stephen Diggle, founder of Vulpes Investment Management. From his country house in Umbria, Italy, Stephen recounts his journey from running one of Asia's largest hedge funds during the 2008 financial crisis to managing a family office-backed investment firm. He explains why they decide…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Customize the Pitch for the Investor Type 2:04

1M ago2:04

2:04

Customize the Pitch for the Investor Type Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. There are many types of investors. Founders should customize the pitch for the investor type. Here are some key investor types to consider: The analytical investor -- this type of investor lo…

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What Our Mentor Taught Us About Coffee Shops - Roy Keely – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 152 1:06:44

2M ago1:06:44

1:06:44

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep152 Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We had the pleasure of welcoming our longtime friend…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Build a Relationship With the Investor 1:52

2M ago1:52

1:52

Build a Relationship With the Investor Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. In raising funding, it’s important to build a relationship with the investor. Upfront, the investor wants to learn about the business and how it works. Ultimately, the investor wants to know who…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Make Sure the Convertible Note Has a Conversion Point 1:59

2M ago1:59

1:59

Make Sure the Convertible Note Has a Conversion Point Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. Convertible notes are useful tools for fundraising. They are easy to set up and often don’t require much legal work. The best part is they don’t require a valuation to be set. Ins…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Talk to Investors As if They Were Already Partners 1:55

2M ago1:55

1:55

Talk to Investors As if They Were Already Partners Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. First-time founders often spend their pitch time selling their product. This fails as it doesn’t focus on the other elements of the business the investor needs to know, such as the t…

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Startup Funding Espresso – Key Steps to FDA Approval for a Therapeutic Drug 2:08

2M ago2:08

2:08

Key Steps to FDA Approval for a Therapeutic Drug Hello, this is Hall T. Martin with the Startup Funding Espresso -- your daily shot of startup funding and investing. FDA approval is a lengthy and involved process with therapeutic drugs that startups must go through. Here’s a list of the key steps to achieve FDA approval: After basic research, the f…